


This Is Me

by orphan_account



Series: The Modern Showman [1]
Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 19:20:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13770831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Anne Wheeler was a strong woman. She had to be in a place like New York, full of shady characters and opportunists. She supposed she was somewhat of an opportunist, but that was out of necessity. Her and WD would’ve been homeless if it wasn't’t for the strange ideas of Mr. Phineas Taylor Barnum. That opportunity was quickly showing itself to be different than what Anne had signed up for. A home for Anne and WD where they could practice and perform their beloved trapeze tricks, surrounded by friends day and night...Then Phillip Carlyle came into the realm of the circus, and Anne’s entire world was tilted on its axis.





	This Is Me

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't been in the fanfiction game for years, but The Greatest Showman was too good to pass up. Some of you may have briefly passed over the first fic I posted here, which I deleted because hoo boy was it a bad idea to start with a multi-chapter fic to get back into fanfic, so now I'm here again. Enjoy some angry circus people. The showmen really aren't too smart sometimes.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or lyrics.

Anne Wheeler was a strong woman. She had to be in a place like New York, full of shady characters and opportunists. She supposed she was somewhat of an opportunist, but that was out of necessity. Her and WD would’ve been homeless if it wasn't for the strange ideas of Mr. Phineas Taylor Barnum. That opportunity was quickly showing itself to be different than what Anne had signed up for. A home for Anne and WD where they could practice and perform their beloved trapeze tricks, surrounded by friends day and night...

Then Phillip Carlyle came into the realm of the circus, and Anne’s entire world was tilted on its axis.

She kept him at arms length, trying to keep herself from getting attached to the hotshot playwright. The most eligible bachelor. Man of the year for his progressive plays, his philanthropy, and his general attractiveness. He had the opposite plan, it seemed. Longing glances backstage and the same transfixed awe she had seen on his face the first time they locked eyes, her on the trapeze and him above the circus with Mr. Barnum, staring out of the glass at her.

And then had come along Jenny Lind. Barnum was about as enraptured with her as Carlyle was with Anne. An American tour with the Swedish Nightingale. An American tour that Barnum would be taking while he left the circus in the hands of Phillip.

Of course, they were all invited to see the first show. Standing near the exit, dressed as well as circus performers could be. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so much when Anne looked back, Phillip chose to stand with them instead of sitting in the booth with Mrs. Barnum and the girls. It had been a brief, hesitant touch. Her heart had jumped into her throat, her breath catching as he continued on, finally linking their hands together. It was like the world fell away, and it was just Anne and Phillip, their hands intertwined-

-and then it was over in a matter of seconds. She followed Phillips gaze and felt herself choking on tears as he ripped his hand away as though she had burned him. An older couple, glaring at them with eyes full of disdain. Anne bowed her head and swiftly exitted the area, hailing a cab to take her back to the circus. The trapeze would be her sanctuary. Phillip couldn’t follow her into the air, at least not safely.

It wasn’t until some time later that the others returned from the show, all of them furious and betrayed. She had been getting herself ready for the show early, trying to get the precise parts of her makeup correct before any distractions could present themselves.

“That bastard,” Lettie hissed, her fists clenched at her sides. Anne tilted her head at the older woman, “What happened?”

“Barnum locked us out of the afterparty,” WD informed, his arms crossed over his chest. Charles jumped onto a nearby crate, and Anne raised an eyebrow at his smug look, “We totally crashed the afterparty, though.”

“Clearly the showmen are idiots,” Anne replied sharply, returning to her preparations. The others all shared a look. Showmen. Plural. Lettie gently squeezed Anne’s shoulder before she herself began to get ready.  
-  
It was time for the show, and Barnum barely made it back in time for the introduction. Lettie made eye contact with each performer, smiling with every nod her gaze was met with. They went about the show as normal, except for the final act. The final act was a piece they had choreographed previously to boost their morale, but now it was relevant. All of the practice, all of the compliments and critiques from various performers, and it was finally coming to fruition, but not in the way it had been intended.

A callout for both of the showmen. Lettie harshly told Barnum to leave the final act to the performers, and he didn’t reply, only nodding and giving a tight-lipped smile. As soon as the music started and Lettie started singing, the anger that burned through the performers was channelled into the emotional piece.

In the middle of the dance, more near the end than the beginning, Anne noticed a familiar figure looking down into the ring. Eyes like blue sky watched the performance, glassy and guilty. He was still in the suit he had worn for Jenny Lind’s concert. Anne glared at him fiercely, singing along with Lettie.

_I’m not scared, to be seen, I make no apologies, this is me._

She watched him move away from the window till he was out of sight. Coward. Just like at the concert. He dirtied himself by joining the circus. It was his own fault.

The audience roared their approval as they struck their final poses.  
-  
Phillip sat on a crate backstage, playing with the silver flask in his hands. He hadn’t needed its contents since he joined the circus. He had found his true happiness, and then it was all gone. The way Anne had glared at him from the ring… he knew she wouldn’t give him another chance.

The performers flooded the backstage area, some smirking, others still with anger in their eyes. Phillip stood up, to try and find Anne and apologize, but a hand pushed him back onto the crate. Lettie.

“You really fucked up, Carlyle,” she said. He looked away, scanning the crowd for Anne’s vibrant pink wig and her purple costume. Lettie shoved his shoulder. She was glaring at him now, though it didn’t hurt as much as seeing Anne direct all of her rage at him during the performance, “Look at me.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered hoarsely. Lettie smacked the back of his head, “Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to Anne.”

“She won’t accept it, Lettie. She’s stubborn.”

“Make a grand gesture. I’m not gonna deal with her sulking for much longer.”

Phillip followed Lettie with his eyes as she disappeared into the chaos of backstage. He walked up to Barnum’s office, not even bothering to knock before opening the door. The man was at his desk, checking over some paperwork. He looked up at Phillip’s entrance, eyes sparkling, “Phillip! Wasn’t she amazing?”

“She’s very talented,” he said stiffly. Barnum nodded enthusiastically, tapping the stack of papers against the desk to straighten them out before putting them down, “So what can I do for you, Phillip?”

“Two tickets to a show on Broadway.”

“Finally making a move on Wheeler. Good for you, kid. I’ll put them under my name.” He made a note on a sticky note and stuck it to his desk. Phillip shifted nervously, thinking about how he had made a move, but had completely ruined it, before speaking again, “Don’t tell her I asked for them. Just tell her she has the ticket. I don’t think she’ll come if she knows I’m there.”

“Done and done, dearest apprentice. I’ll let her know and get you the date and time. Knock her dead.”

Phillip swallowed thickly and nodded, leaving the office. His heart felt heavy in his chest.

He needed a drink.  
-  
The next morning, they were all over the news. Barnum’s Circus of Oddities Crashes Jenny Lind’s Concert Afterparty.

Lettie turned the TV off as she passed it, sighing heavily as she walked back into the ring for rehearsal. She watched as Barnum tried to teach Phillip choreography, but he kept stumbling over himself. She looked up to see WD and Anne practicing. Everytime Phillip could, he looked up to get a glance at the trapeze artists, but then Barnum would chastise him for not paying attention.

Everything was shit.


End file.
